Verdi Cancer Direct Provides Quick Access, Personalized Care
We’re excited to share about our new partnership with the Horizon Oncology Center and Verdi Oncology. In 2020, through our new Verdi Cancer Direct program, employees and family members covered by one of Purdue’s medical plans will be able to receive a more personalized, coordinated approach to high-quality cancer care in the event of a cancer diagnosis.
As part of our smarter approach to healthcare, Verdi Cancer Direct offers you cost savings as well as added convenience. For instance, provider access is often a challenge for patients. This, in turn, leads patients to more costly solutions, such as unnecessary emergency room visits. This increases your costs and likely adds stress to an already stressful medical situation.
Consider this, in the 12 months from September 2018 through August 2019, overall medical spend for cancer care increased by 34 percent and pharmacy spend for cancer care drugs increased by 54 percent. With Verdi Cancer Direct, you – as the patient – will receive direct coordination of your care while your medical oncologists and navigation team will help reduce the financial liability for you. Verdi Cancer Direct’s understanding of the cost structure of healthcare, along with the best outcomes for patients, provides value unavailable in other settings.
In terms of provider access, members of the Purdue University medical plans will have direct access to providers through the Verdi Cancer Direct program — starting with a dedicated phone number for Purdue University members. Additionally, Verdi has regularly blocked time on their schedule to see our plan members when there is an immediate (but non-life-threatening) need. Plus, their Patient Navigation Team will help coordinate appointments, make referrals, etc.
Through the Verdi Cancer Direct program, you’ll receive:
- Guaranteed access to a Horizon provider within 24 hours
- Hotline exclusively for Purdue plan members
- 24/7 triage team access
- Low-cost second opinion service
- Patient Navigation Team that coordinates appointments, maintains communications with providers, makes referrals, facilitates financial support and assistance with paperwork
- Hospital monitoring and management
- Telemedicine physician visits
- Access to early phase clinical trials
- Disease/treatment-specific education
- Free lunch and learn workshops, including:
- October 25, Noon – 1 p.m., STEW 313
Advances in Cancer Treatment, presented by Dr. Wael Harb - November 11, Noon – 1 p.m., STEW 311
Colon Cancer: Dietary and Hereditary Factors, presented by Dr. Ajita Narayan
- October 25, Noon – 1 p.m., STEW 313
Your Horizon Providers
Via the Verdi Cancer Direct program, Purdue employees have access to a comprehensive care team, including three clinical providers at Horizon Oncology. Your team will provide you and your loved ones quality, compassionate care while respecting your needs and the needs of your family.
- Meet Wael Harb, MD, founder of Horizon Oncology Center. Dr. Harb dedicates himself to knowing each patient on a personal level in order to find the best treatment plan possible. He completed his medical training at the University of Damascus, developed specializations in both internal medicine and medical oncology and is board certified in both. He holds faculty positions at Indiana University and Purdue University, serves as chairman of the Community Cancer Network (a Lafayette-based non-profit organizations that assists cancer patients) and serves as the coordinator for the Lafayette Medical Education Foundation.
- Meet Ajita Narayan, MD, PhD. Dr. Narayan completed her medical training at Goa Medical College in Goa, India and pursued her PhD at Tulane University Medical Center in biochemistry. She then completed her post-doctoral research fellowship in head and neck cancer biology at the University of Michigan. Dr. Narayan’s specializations are in internal medicine, medical oncology and hematology, and she is board certified in all three.
- Meet Constantine Albany, MD. Dr. Albany completed his medical training at Tishreen University School of Medicine in Syria. He is board certified in both internal medicine and medical oncology. He completed his fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at Indiana University School of Medicine and then joined the faculty of Indiana University School of Medicine as an assistant professor of medicine at the Simon Cancer Center in Indianapolis. Dr. Albany has special expertise in genitourinary cancer such as prostate, bladder and kidney and is an expert in testicular cancer.
About Horizon & Verdi
Horizon Oncology Center is the leading independent provider of high-quality cancer care (medical oncology and hematology services) in Lafayette. Horizon serves patients regionally with excellent quality diagnostic and therapeutic care, including advanced, cutting edge treatments and access to early phase clinical trials. Horizon Oncology Partnered with Verdi Oncology, Inc. to improve access to capital and management capabilities. Verdi Oncology is regarded as a leading operator of community oncology sites in the U.S.